Key to species of Sabellaria Lamarck, 1818

1. Middle rows of paleae of two shapes...................................................................... 2

– Middle rows of paleae of one shape...................................................................... 4

2. Longer middle paleae with a limbation in upper surface.............. S. fosterae Kirtley, 1994 . La Parguera, Puerto Rico.

– Longer middle paleae without limbation in upper surface..................................................... 3

3. Shorter middle paleae with round tip; inner paleae with marginal spines half as long as the distal middle spine....................................................................... S. floridensis Hartman, 1944 . Lemon Bay, Florida.

– Shorter middle paleae with sharp tip; inner paleae with marginal spines 1/3 – ¼ as long as the distal middle spine.................................................. S. bella Grube, 1870 . Desterro (now Florianópolis, Santa Catarina), Brazil.

4. Middle paleae shorter than outer paleae................................................................... 5

– Middle paleae longer than outer paleae.................................................................... 6

5. Middle paleae strongly geniculate; inner paleae with smooth tips............... S. vulgaris Verrill, 1873 . Massachusetts.

– Middle paleae oblong; inner paleae with distal spines.................... S. bellis Hansen, 1882 . Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

6. Outer paleae with penicillate medial spike.................................................................. 7

– Outer paleae with denticulate medial spike................................................................. 8

7. Medial spike ¼ to 1/6 of the total length of the outer paleae; middle paleae with a convex angle of 140° to 150°................................................................................ S. wilsoni Lana & Gruet, 1889 . Brazil.

– Medial spike ½ of the total length of the outer paleae; middle paleae with a convex angle of 125° to 140°................................................................................... S. salazari n. sp. Quintana Roo, Mexico.

8. Middle and inner paleae with spines at the tip................................................. S. guamare Santos, Brasil & Christoffersen, 2014 . Guamaré, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil.

– Middle and inner paleae with smooth tips.................................................................................................. S. corallinea Santos, Riul, Brasil & Christoffersen, 2011 . João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.